The present invention relates generally to a method for preparing a swine dysentery vaccine. This invention relates more particularly to a swine dysentery subunit vaccine that has been shown to be protective against infection with Treponema hyodysenteriae and the pathogenesis associated with swine dysentery.
There is a pressing need for a swine dysentery vaccine that is immunogenic in swine, protects against Treponema hyodysenteriae infection, and is not harmful to those who consume the pork. At present, there is no vaccine available that would offer all of these features combined The present invention provides immunogenic protection against swine dysentery resulting from T. hyodysenteriae.
The use of killed whole cells of T. hyodysenteriae is well known in the art. Examples of vaccines and methods of use of various whole cell veccine preparations are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,469,672, 4,203,968, 4,152,414 and 4,152,415 all to Delbert L. Harris; U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,413 issued May 1, 1979 to Robert A. Goodnow; PCT Appiication No. PCT/GB85/00087, International Publication No. WO 85/03875, Applicant: National Research Development Corporation and European Patent Application No. 86105860.0 filed Apr. 28, 1986, Applicant: Mobay Corporation.
In contrast to the whole cell preparations of the prior art, the present invention provides a sub-unit preparation from the outer envelope portion of Treponema hyodysenteriae which is demonstrated to have antigenic activity Characterization of the sub-unit preparation indicates that the sub-unit portion consists of a protein enriched carbohydrate mixture of outer-membrane proteins (OMP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of T. hyodysenteriae.